LB7: I think she's Sick....

[Kappa9012]

A buddy of mine bought an 01 with 174k on the clock. It's got quite a few mods including 240hp II injectors, unknown sized cheetah, trans, ancient lift pump, and it doesn't have head studs. It's only running roughly 30psi of boost.

Well the issue I have is it blows coolant. I'm obviously suspicious of a head gasket. with no pressure on the vent cap and truck off, you can put the cap back on start it for 30 seconds and shut it off. Truck will pop the cap off as you unscrew it, and blow out what coolant it can. Also balance rates on 2 and 7 are shit, idling around the 4 range i believe. lastly and this is where i'm really curious about is the oil pressure is high as hell. The oil level is fine and doesn't look/smell funny but the gauge is reading 80psi when warm.

I'm leaning torward a blown head gasket or two, and a bad stepper motor on the dash?

Thoughts? I don't have access to a leak down kit, but I told him to get the coolant test kit. I've seen mixed opinions of the kit, but figured if it came back positive that would be one more indication of a bad HG.

 

[TheBac]

Headgaskets or injector cups.

IIRC, didnt the 01's have a regular oil pressure sending unit located off the front oil galley plug on the drivers side of engine? Id check that first.

 

[Kappa9012]

I'll check that out. Any way to differentiate between cups and gaskets through testing? I suppose a leak down would probably narrow it down to a cylinder, but you still wouldn't know if it's a cup or not?

 

[TheBac]

For what you describe, Id lean toward headgaskets being the primary problem. But...Id reseal all the cups too.

I hope your friend got a smoking deal on the truck considering the repairs it needs.

 

[kking]

Is this the red cc/sb? That truck looked like it had been sitting a while from the pics on craigslist if its the same truck?

 

[Kappa9012]

yeah it is, he did get a deal on it. Far below what the guy was asking.

If I pull the cups to reseal them, is there something that would show me the cups leaking? any witness marks or something?

I'm in agreement, I think it's the head gaskets, but i'm trying to make sure I don't pull the heads just for the hell of it.

Also what's the protocol on blown head gaskets. Do you guys get the heads surfaced or just scrape off the the old gasket and reinstall? obviously i'm assuming the head isn't cracked or eroded.

 

[TheBac]

They should be checked for flatness and decked if needed. IMO, for that amount of pressure, Id go straight to headgaskets.